Don’t rule Ford out of England – Watson

■By BEN JAYCOCK

ANTHONY Watson believes England fans would be “ridiculously foolish” to write George Ford out of the battle for the No.10 jersey at next year’s World Cup.

Ford was included among the 25 players handed enhanced EPS contracts by Steve Borthwick and Watson is far from surprised to see the 105-cap fly-half remain firmly in England’s plans.

While Fin Smith, below, has established himself as the leading option at 10, former England and Lions wing Watson believes Ford’s rugby brain and leadership mean he remains a major contender.

He told The Rugby Paper: “You would be ridiculously foolish to rule George Ford out of having a significant role for England. He’s got one of the best rugby brains there is and I think a lot of people underestimate his emotional intelligence and his ability to guide a team through the ups and downs of a season.

“George is different level and there’s absolutely no chance he should be ruled out of the conversation around that fly-half job for England.”

Lion: Anthony Watson

Watson, who won 56 caps and scored 23 tries between 2014-23, knows first hand that England supporters can be too eager to discard experienced players in favour of the next emerging talent.

He added: “English rugby fans can be very quick to want the next man up. As soon as you get above a certain age, they want to see the next person come in. I think that’s really unfair on guys like George because, albeit he’s got 105 caps, that doesn’t mean he can’t have a six-out-of-ten or five-out-of-ten game here and there. “As soon as he has one of those, people want to call for his head. He’s the type of player that people aren’t going to really appreciate what he’s done for the game, what he continues to do and the skills he has until he’s gone. He’s got all the capabilities to be in a lot of starting XVs for national teams worldwide, so how he can even be considered out of the question for England is beyond me.”

Watson is also supportive of the decision to extend Borthwick’s tenure beyond next year’s World Cup, believing providing certainty over the head coach’s future was the smart move.

“I think it’s entirely logical,” Watson said. “You don’t want coaches going to a World Cup uncertain about their future. You can’t change coach this close to a World Cup, in my opinion, without mixed results. I believe in Steve anyway, but I think the best option was to stick with Steve. Giving him a contract beyond the World Cup allows for a greater focus on what’s in front of them and doing a great job at the World Cup.

“I don’t think it means they’re going to rest on their laurels by any means. That’s not in Steve’s nature. But for the continuity of the team and understanding where they’re going to be and how things are going to move forward, I think it makes sense.”

Watson feels England still have ground to make up on the leading sides but sees no shortage of individual talent available to Borthwick. He believes maximising the influence of players such as Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tommy Freeman, George Martin and Maro Itoje will be crucial.

Class act: George Ford and, inset, Steve Borthwick

PICTURES: Getty Images

“There is a slight gulf at the moment between South Africa, New Zealand and the rest of the world,” Watson added. “A lot of it, in my opinion, relies on getting their best players the most involvements. Any time Manny touches the ball, generally things happen, so why wouldn’t you get him the ball as much as physically possible? There’s no shortage of talent across England’s team. It’s about creating a game plan that allows those individuals to express themselves as much as possible.”

Watson is an ambassador for London City Sevens, believing the invitational tournament can provide a valuable springboard for emerging players.

He said: “I think it’s a brilliant tournament. You look at some of the players who got great exposure from playing against world-class opposition last year and it can be a springboard for a breakout year like we saw with Noah Caluori.

“It’s a great example of what sevens can do for development and exposure. The way the tournament has been set up to bring teams in from all over the world is genuinely exciting, not just for the players but for spectators.

“You want to see world-class players on the pitch and you want to see a bit of flair. It’s a brilliant example of what these invitational tournaments can do for individuals, teams and brands.”

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